October  2,  1902. 
305 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
Cypripedium  x  Mrs.  F.  Kardy. 
This  beautiful  hybrid  was  first  exhibited  from  St.  Albans  in 
1895  when  it  was  honoured  by  the  Orchid  Committee  of  the  Royal 
Horticultural  Society.  It  was  obtained  as  a  cross  between  C. 
superbiens  and  C.  bellatulum,  and  traces  of  both  parents  are 
readily  observable.  The  stout  petals  are  very  distinctive,  with 
purplish  spots  on  an  almost  pure  white  ground.  The  lip  is  some¬ 
what  small,  and  is  of  a  creamy  white  (very  pleasing)  flushed  with 
rose,  darkening  towards  the  mouth.  The  large  dorsal  sepal  is 
white,  faintly  tinged  with  green,  and  bears  rows  of  dark  maroon 
spots.  It  is  a  rare  and  beautiful  hybrid. 
Dendrobiums:  Their  Growth  and  Culture. 
( Continued  from  page  283.) 
D.  chrysanthum  again  is  quite  distinct  from  all  others  in 
appearance,  and  in  cultural  requirements.  It  commences  to 
grow  soon  after  the  flowers 
are  past,  and  is  usually 
growing  all  through  the 
winter.  It  is  a  very  rest¬ 
less  plant  in  fact,  and 
should  never  bo  really 
dried  at  the  roots.  The 
flowers  occur  on  the  newly 
formed  growths  often  be¬ 
fore  the  leaves  fall ;  they 
are  deep  golden  yellow  in 
colour,  and  with  a  deli¬ 
cious  fragrance  during  the 
fortnight  or  so  they  last. 
Basket  treatment  is  best 
for  it,  so  that  the  stems 
may  take  their  natural 
pendant,  direction,  and  the 
heat  of  the  intermediate 
house  is  quite  enough  for 
it. 
D.  chrysotoxum  is  of  the 
evergreen  section,  its 
flowers  produced  in  side 
racemes  from  the  bulbs, 
and  brilliant  yellow  in 
colour.  The  variety  sua- 
vissimum,  which  is  often 
described  as  a  distinct 
species  I  consider  superior 
to  the  type ;  it  is  certainly 
brighter,  the  bright  yellow 
segment  being  well  shown 
up  by  the  deep  maroon 
blotches  on  the  lips. 
D.  crassinode  is  one  of 
the  very  finest  of  the 
deciduous  sorts,  and  a 
s  h  o  w  y  and  beautiful 
Orchid.  Its  thickened 
nodes  on  the  stems  render 
it  easily  recognisable, 
whether  in  or  out  of 
fl  o  w  e  r.  The  blossoms 
occur  almost  over  the 
whole  length  of  the  stems, 
and  are  white,  the  sepals 
and  petals  heavily  tipped  Cypripedium  X 
with  rosy  purple,  the  lips 
having  a  large  yellow  area 
at  the  disc,  and  tipped  like  the  outer  segments.  The  only  fault 
with  this  superb  species  in  an  inclination  to  go  off  at  the  base  of 
the  stems,  a  fault  that  is  made  worse  by  overwatering  in  the  early 
stages.  It  is  a  native  of  large  tracts  of  country  about  Moulmein, 
and  is  fortunately  always  cheap  and  plentiful.  The  principal 
variations  from  the  type  are  the  albino  form  and  the  highly 
coloured  Barberianum,  the  latter  being  rare,  though  scores  of 
plants  are  sent  out  under  this  name. 
D.  Dalhouseianum  is  a  strong  vigorous  growing  species,  often 
considerably  over  a  yard  in  height,  bearing  large  pale  yellow 
blossoms  with  blotches  of  purple  on  the  lip.  Plenty  of  room  is 
necessary  to  grow  this  superb  plant,  which  is  a  native  of  Burmah, 
introduced  in  1837.  D.  Dearei  is  one  of  the  most  free-flowering 
species  in  the  genus,  producing  in  great  quantity  its  beautiful 
pure  white  blossoms,  and  lasting  in  full  beauty  for  many  weeks. 
To  grow  it  well  very  abundant  atmospheric  moisture  is  needed 
and  strong  heat,  the  plant  being  a  native  of  the  island  of 
Mindanao,  in  the  Phillipines.  I),  densiflorum  is  a  bright  golden 
yellow  flowered  evergreen  species  of  easy  culture,  and  almost 
indispensable  in  collections. 
D.  Devonianum  is  one  of  the  best  of  the  deciduous  group,  having 
long  pendant  stems  that  in  their  season  are  wreathed  from  end  to 
end  with  the  bright  showy  blossoms.  The  sepals  and  petals  are 
like  those  of  D.  crassinode,  the  lip  being  covered  with  short 
hairs  and  prettily  fringed.  D.  Draconis  belongs  to  the  nigro- 
hirsute  section,  and  has  large  ivory  white  flowers  tinted  on  the 
lip  with  orange.  It  flowers  in  summer,  and  is  also  known  as 
D.  eburneum. 
D.  Falconeri  is  a  very  distinct  plant  in  habit,  consisting  of  a 
large  number  of  short  stems  from  which  other  stems  start,  making 
quite  a  dense  mass  of  growth.  The  flowers  are  very  lovely,  a 
pure  white  tinged  in  places  with  rose,  the  petals  tipped  with 
bright  amethyst  purple,  the  lip  having  a  rich  orange  blotch  in 
the  centre.  It  is  not  everywhere  a  success  under  cultivation,  but 
usually  holds  out  fairly  well  if  grown  in  a  strong  and  very  moist 
heat,  and  induced  to  rest  afterwards  by  keeping  it  cool  and  dryish 
at  the  roots.  The  syringe  should  be  fairly  plied  about  the  growths 
in  summer  to  keep  thrips  in  check,  these  being  its  worst  insect 
enemy.  Shrivelling  for  lack  of  sufficient  moisture  in  winter  must 
never  be  permitted. — H.  R.  R. 
(To  be  concluded.) 
The  Week’s  Cultural  Notes 
There  is  no  such  thing  in 
Orchid  growing  as  perfect 
i  m  m  unity  from  insect 
pests,  and  the  most  careful 
grower  with  the  healthiest 
plant  must  ever  be  on  the 
alert.  Just  now  is  perhaps 
the  most  suitable  time  of 
the  year  for  a  thorough 
look  through  of  the  plants 
in  the  Cattleya  house.  A 
good  deal  of  the  new 
growth  is  complete  and 
getting  hardened,  and  if 
there  are  any  insects  pre¬ 
sent  on  the  plants  it  is  this 
young  and  valuable  growth 
that  will  be  attacked  by 
them  during  the  ensuing 
winter.  The  stages,  glass, 
and  walls  of  the  house,  too, 
may  now  be  cleaned  with 
advantage,  and  it  will  be 
found  most  convenient  to 
do  this  first  and  bring  the 
plants  back  to  a  clean 
house. 
A  careless  look  at  the 
plants  to  see  if  any  insects 
are  there  is  not  sufficient. 
Every  part-  of  them  must 
be  carefully  gone  over, 
taking  especial  pains  with 
the  woody  rhizomes  and 
the  scales  about  the  base 
of  the  bulbs.  Here  scale 
•insects  of  different  varie¬ 
ties  find  a  congenial  home, 
and  are  most  difficult  to 
eradicate.  First  of  all 
immerse  the  plants  in  a 
tub  or  large  pail  of  soft 
tepid  water,  having  mean¬ 
while  prepared  another 
vessel  of  water  with  a  solu- 
t  i  o  n  of  sof  tsoap  and 
tobacco  water.  When  the 
plants  have  dried  slightly 
from  the  clean  water  dip  the  heads  in  the  soapy  solution,  but 
avoid  wetting  the  compost  with  this  more  than  can  be  helped. 
They  should  not  be  stood  upright  after  this,  or  the  soapy  water 
will  run  down  into  the  roots,  and  it  is  very  apt  to  cause  fungoid 
growth  there.  _ 
Lay  them  on  their  sides  then  to  partly  dry,  and  then  with  a 
sponge  go  over  them  leaf  by  leaf  and  stem  by  stem  until  they  are 
thoroughly  cleansed.  A  bit  of  pointed  stick  should  be  used,  to 
remove  tlie  insects  from  all  parts  that  cannot  be  reached  by  the 
sponge,  such  for  instance  as  the  leaf  axils  and  the  under  sides 
of  the  rhizome.  Both  the  sponge  and  the  stick  are  apt  to 
puncture  the  leaf  unless  care  is  exercised,  and  although  this  work 
seems  very  simple,  it  must  on  no  account  be  left  to  careless  and 
inexperienced  assistants,  or  great  mischief  will  be  done. 
It  is  not  always  that  a  spare  house  is  at  command  to  put  the 
Mrs.  F.  Hardy. 
